All-Ireland Species Action Plan

• Main Author: Irish Hare
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Lepus timidus
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.524.8266; http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/txt/biodiversity/sap_uk/allirelandirishharesapnov05.pdf

1.1. The Irish hare is considered to be a sub-species of Lepus timidus (L.) and is endemic to Ireland. It is found in many different habitats including unimproved, semi-improved and improved grassland, upland habitats such as heather-dominated heaths and bogs and in coastal habitats including sand-dunes and even on the sea shore. They also tend to occur on modified grassland habitats such as golf courses and airfields (Fairley, 2001; Dingerkus & Montgomery, 1997). 1.2. Historically, the Irish hare was widespread and common throughout Ireland, though populations are thought to have undergone a substantial decline in the last 15-25 years. A day-time survey carried out in 1994/1995 indicated that the Northern Ireland population although widespread may have been as low as 8,250, occurring at low densities of around 1-2 per km2 (Dingerkus, 1997). Population levels may have fallen to critical levels in some areas. Evidence from game bag records suggest that densities in at least some areas were much higher in the last century (Dingerkus & Montgomery, 2002). 1.3. A night-time survey carried out in 2002 estimated the Northern Irish hare population to be between 7,000 and 25,200, indicating that hare numbers had not changed significantly since the previous survey (Preston et al., 2002). 1.4. Repeat night-time surveys were undertaken in spring 2004 and spring 2005. In 2004, the population was estimated as being between 59,700 and 86,900 (5.1 hares per km2) and between 35,000 and 54,400 (3.1 hares per km2) in 2005. It is concluded from these results that the hare population decreased between 2004 and 2005, but remains higher than 2002